Recipes With Acorn Squash | Taste of Home (2024)

FAQs

Do you eat the green part of acorn squash? ›

Yes, You Can Eat the Skin of Acorn Squash and Other Winter Squashes—Here's How. Some varieties, like acorn squash and honeynut, have tender, tasty skin.

This squash has a lot of antioxidants, which can boost your immunity and help your body to fight off certain diseases. Acorn squash contains antioxidants like vitamin C that help strengthen bones and blood vessels. It also has vitamin A, which helps improve the health of your lungs, heart and other vital organs.

Next time you roast a squash like acorn, butternut or honeynut, try leaving the skins on and give them a nibble. Be sure to scrub the skin well, Joyce recommends, to remove any dirt or debris. The pleasantly chewy texture may just surprise you, plus you can never go wrong with more fiber.

Acorn squash is packed with both soluble and insoluble fiber. Though they have different functions in your body, both play important roles in digestive health. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stools while soluble fiber softens them, preventing constipation and supporting regular bowel movements ( 13 ).

Acorn squash is rich in antioxidants, which can neutralize potentially harmful molecules called free radicals. These antioxidants can help to protect people against health issues like arthritis, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.

A squash with soft spots and is soft to the touch, is a sign that the squash has gone bad. And if it starts to leak fluid, that's a sure sign that the squash is spoiled. Likewise, if the flesh and seeds of the fruit are mushy and slimy, that's a clear sign that it shouldn't be eaten.

Acorn squash has more carotenoids than any other food. Carotenoids are a powerful antioxidant that help fight inflammation and prevent cell damage.

Acorn squash is primarily a carbohydrate, though it does supply small amounts of protein too. This fiber-rich vegetable is full of many nutrients, with some of the most notable being magnesium, potassium, manganese, vitamin C, and iron.

Food Safety and Storage

Scrub winter squash with a vegetable brush under cool running water before cooking or cutting. Do not use soap. Do not wash squash before storing.

Use the squash in any recipe that calls for cooked acorn squash or eat the squash on its own: Break it into 2- to 3-inch pieces, transfer to a platter and season with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. (The skin is perfectly edible, but you can also easily peel off the skin, if you like.

How do you store acorn squash after picking? ›

For most winter squash, store at 50º to 55º F with relative humidity of 60 to 70 percent. The one exception, again, is Acorn squash, which should be kept at temperatures less than 55. Higher temperatures cause the flesh to become stringy. Avoid storing squash in higher humidity, which can promote rot.

Squash Companions

Researchers have found that squash grown with corn and beans actually have more visits from many predators than squash grown on its own. For best results, give corn a head start. Plant the beans and squash when corn seedlings are 4 to 6 inches tall.

Leeks. "Leeks are a great companion for summer squash because they can help repel pests like carrot flies and aphids," says Coronado. "Their strong scent can confuse and deter these pests, creating a protective barrier around the squash."

Try summer squash raw or spiraled into “zoodles” as a healthy substitution for noodles. They're also yummy sautéed or roasted with olive oil. Winter squash is delicious (and sugary sweet like a sweet potato) when roasted. And both are great additions to soups and pastas.

Acorn squash is high in both insoluble and soluble fiber. This fiber can aid in regular bowel movements, a healthy gut microbiome, and can increase satiety. 2 Similarly, one cup of acorn squash provides only 115 calories but is full of antioxidants.